Note: I do not own anything associated with Bond. I wrote this a few months ago (my second fic) and just never posted it. TemporaMores again helped with needed additions and more beta reading and my many thanks to Persiflage for beta reading! So many people get tons of my thanks for continued support though beta reading or encouragement! I am embarrassed to say I don't remember everyone that looked this over for me as I sent it out at different stages. *hugs* to anyone that helped!

Government party

Gareth Mallory had been a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee for a few years prior to being next in line for Chairman. He and M had crossed paths on several occasions but had never been formally introduced. This evening he had only seen her from a distance. It was a government function and she was just one of many important people he had wanted to meet, and while he had managed to work his way down his list rather efficiently, he had still not managed to talk to her. Oh well, at some other point, he figured. He was still slightly jetlagged, having just returned from a trip abroad, and the incessant small talk made him feel even wearier. Scanning the room, he noticed M at the far end, talking to the Prime Minister of all people. He decided to give up for the time being and give himself a break. Ten minutes to himself away from all the noise and people were all he needed. No chance in hell, he thought, before suddenly remembering the library. Of course! That was the solution. He smiled to himself, placed his empty glass on one of the tables and quietly slipped out of a side door, making his way down the dimly-lit corridor towards the library.

It was large, dark and quiet; exactly what he needed due to the raging headache he had had all evening. He found a nook in the corner of the room near the window just to relax and close his eyes. This was much, much better, despite the slightly stuffy air between the bookshelves. He wondered exactly how often anyone consulted the dusty old law textbooks that were sitting on the upper shelves.

He had been in the library for nearly ten minutes when he heard the door open at the far end of the room and saw two figures hurrying inside. The sound of the door being locked behind them puzzled him. Once they stepped into the light being reflected from the window, he immediately recognized one of the two figures as the head of MI6. But who was this man who followed her? Her son? An agent? He had not seen him before.

Mallory was well hidden in the darkest part of the room near a back window and did not move his position, as the tone he heard coming from M left no doubt that this was a private conversation and that she was not to be interrupted.

"Why the hell didn't you call? We expected you back nine days ago!" she hissed.

"I could not jeopardize the mission, Ma'am. I had to cut all contact or fear being found out. I was just following protocol."

Mallory's question was answered; this was one of her agents.

"We thought your cover had been compromised, for Christ's sake! You know how long we have been trying to infiltrate this organization." M squeezed her forehead in her hand, hoping to relieve some of the tension. "Do you have any idea how many hours we've spent looking for you?"

"I was detained by a smaller section of the organization for over a week; they wanted to question me. Lucky for me, they didn't realize who I was. They got the impression that I was a cocky new guy who did not want to follow orders," he whispered. "Only a few cracked ribs this time. It could have been much worse."

M closed her eyes after hearing that statement.

"Was anything else done to you?" She met his eyes as she awaited his answer.

The previous methods of punishment rumored to have been handed out to disobedient members included rape and being sodomized with various objects. This was done to break them.

Bond breathed slowly out, understanding what she was asking. She had briefed him herself about the specifics of this mission. "No."

"James," M whispered more tenderly, moving closer to him. When she touched his ribs softly with her hands, he winced. Stepping back slightly, she again met his gaze. "Have you been cleared by medical?"

"No. I'm fine, just sore. I came here directly after we landed." He paused. "I needed to see you." He took her right hand in his and brought the underside of her wrist to his lips. "You're wearing your pearls. Were you thinking about me when you put them on?"

She gasped as the fingers on his left hand traced the line of pearls to the hollow of her neck. "Yes," M replied, taking in a ragged breath.

Bond swiftly pulled her against him, bending his head down to kiss her hungrily. M returned the kiss eagerly, clutching the front of his shirt.

"If you want me to stop then you need to walk away now," Bond whispered in her ear when the kiss finally broke.

Mallory was silently praying that she would in fact ask him to stop. He was mortified. And maybe he was even more mortified because a small part of him did, in fact, not want her to ask him to stop at all.

"Who said anything about stopping, 007?" With that, she shoved him against the wall. Bond again winced in pain.

"Sorry," she said apologetically.

"Don't worry about me. I can handle it rough." Laughter showed in his eyes.

"Oh, I know you can." Fond memories flashed though her mind. "Maybe next time."

She bit his lower lip, urging him to touch her. This made him lose all rational thought.

Another question that had just came into Mallory's thoughts, whether this was their first time, had just been answered: Clearly it was not. The scene happening in front of him had him transfixed; he could not avert his gaze.

Bond turned M around, pressing her back against the book shelf, lifting up her evening dress around her waist while removing her silk stockings and knickers, which he swiftly shoved in his pocket. He dropped to his knees and began kissing her inner thigh. She moaned, clutching his shoulders for support. Holding her hips firmly in place with his hands on either side, he ran his tongue over her slit, once, twice, and then stopped to look up at her smiling. Already growing wet with wanting and shaking with need, she grabbed at his hair, pulling him up hard.

"I need you now!"

Awkwardly, they shifted to the desk nearby. M's hands quickly unbuttoned Bond's trousers and freed his erection. She gave him one firm stroke before he lifted her onto the desk to accommodate the height difference between them. Bond buried himself inside of her with one quick thrust, her legs wrapping around his waist. He paused to allow her to adjust to his size.

It was rushed and rough. There was the possibility of being caught and neither could afford that to happen, but stopping was never an option. It never was with them. The need was too great.

She came with his name escaping her lips, and he soon after kissing her hard. He gently eased himself off her body but held her to him during the aftershocks.

Once their clothes were righted, they kissed tenderly.

"When can I see you?"

"Tonight; meet me at my flat after you are cleared by medical. That's an order, not a request," she said, turning to go. Bond stopped her by placing his hand on her shoulder.

"You look beautiful tonight." Running a finger along her string of pearls at the back of her neck. "But I will always prefer you only wearing these."

"That can easily be arranged."

A shiver ran through her at his touch.

"Are you cold?"

Turning her head slightly to meet his eyes, she replied firmly, "No." The look carried so many promises for later. She kissed him quick and firm on the mouth then continued walking to the door.

After M had left the room Mallory remained fixed in his nook by the window, not wanting to be noticed by the agent that remained; his headache long forgotten.

James rejoined the party after a decent interval. He scanned the room, finding her speaking with the Prime Minister again. The V cut of M's gown showed she was still slightly flushed from their lovemaking. She saw him looking at her from across the room and mouthed the word "GO" to him. This made James smile and chuckle to himself before he made his way out of the building and toward the medical department at MI6. Placing his hand in his pocket, he found M's silk knickers.

Mallory sat in the empty library, stunned at what he had seen and very aroused. He was unsure of what he should do. The only thought he had at that moment was that he needed a stiff drink and a cold shower, soon.